Educating and empowering the next generation of conservation leaders.

Getting to Know the World Around You

This weeks blog post is from Maggie C., a Bucktails alumni! She writes about the importance of observations in nature.

Today in biology class, my teacher was talking about observation and telling us what it was. The class got me thinking that when you think of observation, you think of scientists going outside with magnifying glasses, and data tables, but that’s not all that observation is. It’s seeing, hearing, touching, and smelling. It is taking note of the small, seemingly insignificant things around you. It is noticing patterns and unique things. It is letting everything around you soak in, and it is beautiful.

A caterpillar hides from view under a leaf.

To see the light reflecting off the dew shine like tiny stars, listening to the melodic call of a cardinal perched high in the branches of a maple tree, feeling the hot, sticky air all around you. It’s nice to take a break from the constant buzz of busy days and sit in the sun, even if all you can spare is a few minutes. I like to listen to all of the calm sounds of nature. It helps me relax, and it is fun to wonder about all the things you see around you. It’s a time to reflect, and a time to wonder. The peacefulness of just existing can soothe anxieties.

Sometimes when we go outside, we are oblivious to all the life that is taking place around us. It’s good to reconnect and remember that we aren’t the only ones around. Just by paying attention, and observing our surroundings, we can become more aware of what goes on in the world around us. Sometimes I like to watch all the people not paying attention. They stare at their phones like robots, not even noticing that flowers are blooming, bees buzzing, and birds chirping. It’s easy to notice. It just takes a glance away from your conversation. They don’t notice how the locusts have begun to buzz in the trees, or how the leaves have started to turn the color of a sunset. But I notice. And I hope that we all will take a little more time to notice.

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A COOPERATIVE INITIATIVE

The mission of the Wildlife Leadership Academy is to engage and empower high school age youth to become Conservation Ambassadors to ensure a sustained wildlife, fisheries and natural resource legacy for future generations. The Academy, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, is a cooperative initiative involving state agencies and conservation organizations.